Means for inducing and distributing air currents



Aug. 20, 1935. c. M. ASHLEY r2,012,179

MEANS FOR INDCING AND DISTRIBUTING AIR GURRENTS Filed June 25, 1930 IN V EN TOR. Cap/y le M. Ash ley.

' 'BY MM# 05;/

A TTORNEY Patented ug. 20, 1935 PATENT OFFICE@ MANs Fon INpUoING AND DISTRIBUTING Am -cUnREN'rs Carlyle M. Ashley, South Orange, N. J.assignor toCarrier Engineering Corporation, Newark, N. J., a corporation oilNew York 'Application June 25, 1930, serial No. 463,636 1 claim. (c1. sis-37) This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for airconditioning and ventilatlng enclosures,'and is more particularly directed to means for distributing air volumes and effecting desired air circulation.

The general object of the invention is to provide systems wherein induced currents ofv air will be effectively mixed with conditioned air, or air from any desired source, and discharged in one or morestreams directionally controlled.

A feature of the invention-resides in the provision of a nozzle in combination with a restricted passage, whereby the discharge of air from the nozzle will produce related air currents.A The passage may be constricted at one or more points and its interior conformation may be arranged to impart a. desired directional eiect to an air mixture discharged from the passage. So-also,

' the nozzle or nozzles may be variously positioned in the passage. differently shaped constrictingpassagesand vawithin thepassage so that air emission from the nozzles may be carried on at varying angles with- As a result, the combination of riously positioned nozales, make possible the production of currentsof air whose velocity andv charge may also be controlled.

Another feature covers the use of a plurality of openings individually adjustable and adjustable with respect to vone another.` In consequence, a vplurality of streams of airvmay be simultaneously Adischarged from a single passage to serve agiven area, each'of the streams pursuing a different direction to eiect a circulation of air havinga desired relation with respect i to the circulation of air in an adjacent zone or area. Drafts and streaks, as well as other uneven conditions vin the atmosphere served, may thus be avoided or eliminated by proper adjustment of the relatedopenings. Further, direct discharge may be carried on from a source of conditioned air, without creating a turbulent atmosphere,in that the arrangement of openings permits an adjustment of each of the openings, in size, as well as in capacity for directional dis- .nection with the accompanying drawing,

Y charge control. Thus, a plurality of streams of air are controlled both in volume, velocity, and directional capacity, to eiectively regulate conditions within an area or within different parts ofthe same area. l

Other features and .objects covering advantages in design and structure will further be noted from the following description or illustrative forms of the invention, to be read in conwhich Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view, in section, of a unit shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, diagrammatic in form, showing a unit having ports, Fig. 3 illustrates an arrangement of discharge pcrts of the character used in the unit of Fig. 5,

' Fig. 4 is a Vplan view of the unit shownlin Fig. 2, looking upwardly on the line 4-4 thereof,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view, in section, illustrating a modified form of the upper part of the unit of Fig. l. The construction is substantially the same, except that the discharge ports of Fig. 3 are shown as used in the unit.

In Figs.` l and 2, a unit, made of wood or steel and adapted to be variously positioned within an enclosure to he ventilated, is employed.

' This unit may include a heater coil l1 for tempering induced air drawn through opening H. This coil may be of any suitable type and positioned Within the unit-in any desired. manner.

-Duct i8 supplies air from any desired source to a series of slots or slotted openings I 9. The duct or supply header may be provided with a damper 20 for controlling the air volume supplied to the discharge openings. By the use of these openings, conditioned air, for example,vsupplied from duct IS will be discharged in a plurality of streams and induced air will be discharged between said streams. Also, the discharge fromv the slots will induce currents outside of the unit which will mix with those discharged from, the unit, The effectiveness of distribution is increased by having the width of the slots or slotted openings much Aless than the space `between the slots or slotted openings. This space will permit air induced within the unit to pass between the streams discharged from the openings and mix with them. Consequently, cold, dehumidied air may, for example, be discharged through the slotted openings directly within the audience zone of a theatre or the like. This discharge through slotted openings will not vcreate streaky or tur- V bulent air conditions in that the induced air disl charged between the streams from the unit and induced outside the unit by reason of the dis-I charge will cause a mixture at a- 'comfortable temperature. The use, therefore, of a plurality' of slotted openings at prescribed spaced intervals from each other enables the direct discharge oi cold, conditioned air without reheating. Any

number of slotted openings may be used, and

while they are' illustrated as positioned in line with one another, no limitation is made with re spect to their number or their positioning with respect to one another. In Fig. 3 is illustratedl one arrangement of slotted openings of the character adapted to be used in the unit of 5. In this arrangement, a main plate or element.

2l is provided' with a plurality of'openings 22.

` At each of the openings'is provided an extension or baille 23. Thus, air discharged through openings 22 will be controlled in direction by the in- 20l`clination of baliles 23. As shown, these baiiies may be at diilerent angles to the main plate and hence cause 'the discharge of air in different directions. Supplementary plates 24, slidably p0- sitioned with respect to the main plate, may-be moved torestrict or enlarge the openings 22.v As

[of the openings will control -the direction of air discharge as well as volume. It may be noted that by moving any of plates 24, individual openings may be adjusted, whereas by. moving the plate 2l, all'of the openings will be simultaneously adjusted.

Fig. 4 shows in detail the manner of feeding air from duct I8 to slotted discharge openings I9 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The view is on line 4---4v of Fig. 2 looking upwardly, and it may y be noted that the air feeds from duct Il downwardly into a. series of distributing channels,

each channel being provided with a slotted discharge opening I9. The spaces between the distributing channels 26 are for the passage of recirculatedair entering the unit at il, as illustrated, the recirculated air being induced ywithin the unit by the discharge of primary air through slotted discharge openings I9. The reon the mainplate 2|.

Furthermore, each of the circulated air passes out of the iinit in a plurality of streams alternatingwith the streams discharged from the slotted openings, with the result that a mixture o i primary air and recirculated airis formed and discharged within the Fig. 5 shows one way of applying the discharge ports of Fig. 3 to the unit shown in Fig. 1. When the arrangement of Fig. 3 is employed, the duct Il will extend downwardly into the unitas illustrated in Fig. 5 and present a face for accommodating the arrangement of ports shown in Flg. 3. Thus, the face of the unit itself provides the main plate or element 2l having a plurality of openings 22. Supplementary plates 24 having extensions or ballles 25, are slidably positioned The discharge of air through the openings 22 induces a current of recirculated air which v enters the unit through opening I I. The primary air discharged through openings 22 mixes with the recirculated air to form a mixture of primary and recirculated air,

which enters the area served by the unit. As already noted, the baiiles at each of the openings 22 will control the direction of air discharge and by adjusting the position of supplementary plates 24 with respect to main plate 2|, the volume of air discharged will also be controlled.

The arrangements shown in the drawing are intended to be illustrative only of applicants invention, and any analogous means capable of carrying out the objects hereof are intended to be the purview of the specification and scope of theclaim.

Having described my invention, what I claim as -new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In combination with a conduit, a nozzle member for controlling the volume and direction of discharge of a uid from said conduit comprising a plate provided with openings, a lip projecting outwardly -from one side of each opening, a series of plates closely adjacent to the iirst mentioned plate, a lip extending from one end of each plate of -tlieseres and positioned adjacent one side of each opening opposite said rst mentioned lips, 4the plates of said series being slidably adjustable Vwith respect to theV rst mentioned plate and with respect to each other.

cAnLYLE M. ASHLEY. 

